A Valentine from Marco
by HoshinoLibra
Summary: Guess who you just got a love letter from.
1. The Letter

To my Valentine,

I must have written this letter about ten times already but I think I know exactly what I want to tell you now. I've really liked you for a long time. I'd even go so far as to say I've fallen for you. I wish I had the courage to approach you in person and tell you myself. Every day I watch you run late for class. Every morning you enter the classroom all eyes are on you but you would never notice mine smiling at you. My heart skips when you glance in my direction, even though I know you are not looking for me. Even on the rainiest of days when I'm depressed you somehow bring a ray of sunshine into the room. I wish I could make you smile just as brightly as you make me feel inside. There was a day a few months ago when I saw you crying alone in the hallway. I gave you my handkerchief and you told me how much you missed your father. You looked at me with those eyes shining like the light on a gently flowing river. I think it was then I decided you meant more to me than just another one of our classmates. I felt like I was looking into the eyes of someone who might understand me. Right then and there I wanted so much to hold you and just try to make you feel better. Foolish cowardice restrained me and all I could do was listen. If you had ever needed someone to do just that I would happily spend hours with you if it meant seeing you smile afterwards. Please read my words. I only ever want you to be happy. I have confessed everything my heart has kept locked away. I leave the rest with you my valentine.

Love Marco


	2. The Reply

You held the letter close to your chest with a blush of disbelief on your face and turned in towards the corridor wall. Of all moments you decided to read such things. If only you knew it was a love letter, you would have opened it and read it in private. At first sight it simply looked like a simple white parchment envelope. All that was written upon it was your first name. And there you were about to enter the dorm room where all your fellow trainees where busy chatting away merrily after a long day of running laps and perfecting combat techniques. You scan through it again…taking in each and every detail. Making sure you hadn't misread anything or were mistaken by the letter's content. The sweetness of Marco's words made the inside of your chest feel warm and your face even warmer. You really had no idea how to take this. You'd been working beside him for nearly three years now. He was a nice friendly charming person, but you never expected anything like this. And…just how long had he been feeling this way? Does anyone else know about this? Questions began racing through your mind over the whole matter. You'd have to think of something quickly or your friends waiting for you on the other side of the door would come looking for you. At just that very thought you heard footsteps approaching the door. Hastily folding the letter and shoving it into the breast pocket of your jacket you straightened yourself up. The door swings open…luckily it was only Sasha. You sigh with relief.

"Hey (Your first name). What are you doing out here in the hallway. Get in here already. We were all about to play a game of cards." She beamed.

"Sasha! Just the person I need. Come here for a sec….close the door behind you." You whispered to her and gestured her to come in closer.

She gave you a puzzled look and did as you asked.

"Alright. What's with the secrecy?" she whispered back.

You blushed and rolled your eyes down to the floor as she looked at you for an answer.

"Well…err….do you—Errm…no no." you stumbled over your words trying to string out your thoughts into understandable sentences.

"Sasha…do you…know if…do you know if-"

Suddenly the door burst open behind the two of you. Making you jump out of your skin.

"Hey you guys we're about to get this game started. You in?" Jean called.

Jean was one of your fellow recruits. He was pretty good looking, but it was a shame he was such an obnoxious loud mouth.

"What are you all doing over here?" came another voice.

A second figure walked up from behind Jean and bobbed his head around his shoulder. It was Marco. As your eyes met with his a gentle glow crossed his face when he realised it was you. Your eyes break away from his and look to the wall, your face getting hotter with every second his eyes were on you. An awkward silence fell upon the group. Jean looked at Marco...and then he looked at you...back to Marco and back to you again.

"Err...hey Sasha wanna help us set up?" Jean suddenly blurted out.

"Huh? But (Your First Name) was just about to-HEY!"

Jean leans across and grabs Sasha by the cuff of her sleeve and drags her into the dorm room.

"That's ok Sasha...what she wanted to tell you can wait...I think whatever Marco wanted to talk to her about...is more important." Jean struggled to push Sasha through the door as she clung to the door frame. He leaned over and whispered something to her. You couldn't hear what Jean was saying to her but whatever it was, it ended abruptly and with Sasha breaking out into a blush and giggling.

"Hahaha...seriously?" she laughed.

"Hey Jean are you telling her dirty jokes again? If you end up being sick again Sasha do it on HIS bed this time". You glared.

Sasha turned back to you as she walked passed Marco giving him a cheeky excited grin.

"Go get 'em Tiger." Jean whispered.

Marco blushed knowing you could hear that last remark.

Marco stepped outside and closed the door behind him. This was all happening just a little too fast for you. You wanted some time alone to let the news of Marco's feelings towards you sink in. But there he was standing before you as the two of you stood alone in the empty corridor. The gentle amber light of the setting sun flooded through the windows casting deep purplish shadows all around. Dust particles shone as they floated lazily through the air around you. You took a step back and rested your back against the wall. The cold on your back felt soothing after the sudden rush of heated emotions.

"So..." you looked up and faced Marco with a nervous smile.

"So..." he laughed anxiously.

"Not in the mood for games tonight?" you asked.

"Nah...I figured Jean could manage without me for a little while."

"Hehe...yeah...He might be irritating at times but he knows how to take control of a situation when he puts his mind to it." you laughed.

"Heheh...yeah." Marco scratched the back of his head nervously as everything fell quiet between the two of you.

You raised a hand to reach into your breast pocket for the letter.

"Might as well...now is as good a time as any." you thought.

Just as you had placed a finger on the paper, Marco interrupted your train of thought.

"Read any good books lately?" he hastily shoved out of his mouth.

"Eerm...well..."

It was now or never.

"I did...read something interesting today." you said as you hung your head down and turned to the wall. Your hand on your heart where you had stored Marco's words. The boy remained silent. For this moment you couldn't let him see the embarrassed state he'd cornered you into.

The paper rustled as you unfolded it from your pocket. You began to read...

"I must have written this letter about ten times already...but I think I know exactly what I want to tell you now...I've really liked you for a long time. I'd even go so far as to say I've fall-"

Marco steps up behind you and tries to take the letter from you. But you shield it tightly from his grasp by tucking it into your chest refusing to let go. He reaches around you with both arms and the two of you struggle as he tries to pry your arms away from your body, only to find yourself trapped in his arms.

"Why are you doing this to me?" he asked sadly.

"Doing what Marco?...You're the one writing letters." you whimpered.

"It's...embarrassing for me." he said.

"But...you didn't let me finish."

"I'm sorry but I can't listen to anymore...your making fun of me!"

He didn't realise just how tightly he had you wrapped up in his arms during the struggle. He hadn't relented at all and you were starting to find it hard to breathe. The combination of his sudden interaction left you with your heart racing and short of breath.

"Marco...you're...holding too tightly..."

"I don't care." he retorted.

"If I let go...and this all turns out to be your way of rejecting me...I would never have gotten the chance to hold you like this." he gritted his teeth and buried his face in the back of your shoulder.

"Your...misunderstanding me Marco...I was trying to say...all these words...these kind sweet words...no one has ever said anything like that to me before. I...I know I'm hard to approach...but you're the first person to even try and break through..."

Marco fell silent but still held a tight grip around you. You slip your hand free from the pressure on your chest and rested it gently on his. He reluctantly loosens his hold and lets you go. You take a step away from him and then turn around to face him. You didn't believe what you were witnessing. He looked like he was on the verge of tears. Those warm brown eyes...they were always so happy to see you but now...they were filled with sadness.

"Do you understand what I'm saying Marco?"

He remains silent as his gaze drops to the floor. His cheeks were now blazing red. His hands clenched at his sides. He was bracing himself for a final blow. He didn't understand what you were saying...he was assuming the worst outcome now. If words won't work on him then maybe another method is necessary. Marco glanced up at you and back down to the floor, then finally he gave in. He lifted his head and forced a smile. But his eyes gave his true thoughts away.

"I'd give anything to understand...I'm so confused right now. My chest hurts." he smiled.

"Marco...for crying out loud!" you lurch forward and cup his face in your hands as you press your lips to his. Your face ablaze, you heart pounding nervously. You break away quickly when you realised what you'd just done. Your eyes fall to his chest, afraid to see the look him in the eye.

"I...I've...fallen for you...Marco."

You silently reach a hand out for his by his side and lightly kiss the back of his fingers with yours. You feel his begin to stroke yours in return slowly and delicately. He steps forward; you shyly look up at him. He leans down and plants a soft warm kiss on your lips. You slowly close your eyes to take in every moment as his gentle pressure against you was like a warm summer breeze, soothing and revitalising. Your heart had stopped racing, instead it was humming with a passionate contentment. The sunlight around you had descends down to soft hues of bluish purple as the night sky draws in and bathes the two of you in somber tranquility. The two of you stand there in the darkness alone together holding each other close as the first few stars emerge in the inky twilight.


End file.
